Mississippi Walleye Heat Up: April Fishing Report Minneapolis

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling on the Mississippi River right here in Minneapolis. It's early Monday morning, April 6th, 2026, and the river's callin'—let's dive into today's report. Weather's shapin' up mild for early spring: highs in the low 50s°F, partly cloudy with light northwest winds at 5-10 mph, keepin' things steady after last week's chill. No tides on this big river, but flows are runnin' moderate around 15,000 cfs per USGS gauges—perfect for wadin' without gettin' swept. Sunrise hits at 6:45 AM, sunset 7:50 PM, givin' ya a solid 13 hours of light to chase bites. Fish activity's pickin' up as waters warm to 42-45°F. Walleye are staged in the shallows post-spawn, hittin' aggressive on incoming current breaks. Recent reports from local anglers show solid catches: 20-30 walleye per outing averaging 18-25 inches, plus channel cats to 10 pounds and smallmouth bass pushin' 4 pounds. Crappies are nestin' in backwaters, limits of 10-12 inchers common. Per Minnesota DNR creel surveys, last week's totals topped 500 walleye from Boom Island to Lock & Dam 1. Best lures? Jerkbaits like the Rapala Shad Rap in perch or firetiger for walleye—slow troll or cast 'em shallow. For smallies, go tubes or Ned rigs in green pumpkin. Live bait kings it: fathead minnows or leeches on Lindy rigs for eyes and cats; crappie minnows under bobbers for slabs. Hot spots: Hit the rock piles off Boom Island Park for smallmouth—drop shots shine there. Or paddle to the Harriet Island wing dams for walleye ambushes at first light. Stay safe, check regs, and wear your PFDs. Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for weekly updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.